Another Day, Another factory
by snossy
Summary: Hogan has come up with his craziest plan yet. Hope you like it.
1. Chapter 1

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine_

_**Chapter 1:**_

It was midnight and the changing of the guard at Stalag 13, was already in progress. For the two men watching this happen, it was nothing unusual. In fact, this happened every night, without fail, at the exact same time. The two German guards at the main gate had finished guard duty for the night, and another two guards came to replace them. The search lights from the guard towers continued to circle the area and, on occasion, the two men had to hide behind the bushes in front of them to avoid being seen.

As they waited in the bushes, the top of an old and forgotten tree stump slowly opened and a third man climbed out of the stump to join them. All three men were dressed from head to toe in black clothing and had smeared grease on their faces. If you were not looking specifically for them, they would be very hard to see. After the searchlight had passed over them again, one of them gestured for the others to head away from the camp and into the woods behind them. They made their way slowly through the woods until they came to the main road. Keeping out of site, they followed the road for at least 20 minutes.

Eventually they came across an old, abandoned barn. One of the men headed towards the back of the barn while the other two stayed to keep watch and make sure no one had followed them. A few minutes later he came back.

"All clear around the back colonel. Just the one door and only one window looking out over the way we just came." He said with an American accent.

"Alright. Carter you stay out here and keep watch for any passing patrols or cars. Newkirk, you come in with me." The colonel was also an American.

"Right sir." The third man had a strong English accent.

Newkirk followed the colonel, quickly making their way to the barn doors while Carter stayed hidden behind a large tree, pulling out a small hand gun as he crouched down. Newkirk opened the door and, after grabbing the hand gun he brought with him, went inside. The barn was empty, unless of course you counted the mouse that ran across the floor and into a hole in the wall. He lowered the gun and turned to face the colonel.

"I thought the message said we were supposed to be meeting Tiger 'ere tonight?"

"It did." He looked around the barn and then made his way to the only window available. It looked out over the front and had a direct view of the front path which led to the road. Fortunately for them, the barn was not visible from the road and they were relatively safe. "Tiger's never been late before now." He spoke more to himself than to Newkirk.

"You think somethin' might have happened to her?"

"Maybe. Let's give her some time." He kept his eyes on the path. "She might just be running late. It happens."

Almost half an hour had passed since they had arrived and there was still no sign of anyone coming to meet them. Newkirk had gone to see if Carter had seen anyone, but had come back only to report that no one had even drove past the area.

"Colonel, maybe we should head back to camp. Try and reach Tiger over the radio and..." he was interrupted by the door slowly creaking open.

Raising his own gun, the colonel moved behind the door while Newkirk stood facing it. Hoping that it was indeed Tiger opening the door and not a German soldier. Or worse, the Gestapo. A woman walked through the door, closing it quickly behind her. She was wearing a black, knee length skirt with a white blouse and a heavy fur coat. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Newkirk standing with a gun pointed directly at her.

"Blimey Tiger." Newkirk lowered the gun. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine." She spoke with a French accent. "Where is Colonel Hogan?"

"Here." He stepped out from behind the door and Tiger finally saw him. "What happened? You said on the message to meet here at 12:30. It's almost 1:15."

"I am sorry. I was held up by the Gestapo. Routine checks and the usual questions that come up every now and then."

"They don't suspect anything do they?"

"I don't think so. They would have arrested me instantly if they knew or suspected anything." She sat down and continued. "The underground has to stop all activity for the moment. It is too much risk to continue sabotage work with the amount of activity there is now."

"I'm not surprised." Hogan said. "Has radio contact been stopped as well?"

"_Oui_. The message we sent to you today was the last until the Gestapo activity lightens. We have already got a message to London as well." She added, answering his question before it was asked.

"Colonel Hogan." Carter called opening the door. "Kraut car...just pulled up...main road. We'd better get out of here." He said breathing heavily, as though he had just run a mile.

"Okay let's go. Tiger, you first. Be careful and good luck." Tiger left. Once she was no longer in sight, the three of them made their way back to Stalag 13 as fast as they could.

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"Roll call!! Everybody up. Raus!" Sergeant Hans Schultz woke everyone in barracks two the next morning. He was the sergeant of the guard, and the guard for barracks two. "Everybody up. Roll call in two minutes."

Everyone groaned. They hated being woken up at 6:00 every morning. Slowly, the men in the barracks pulled themselves out of their beds and pulled on their cloths. Schultz left the room as Hogan opened the door to his quarters. Looking around the room, he could tell that Newkirk was starting to regret volunteering to come out with him last night. He was the one complaining the most out of 15 men in the barracks. // _Although. _// He thought to himself. //_I did warn him about having three late nights and very little sleep. Serves him right. _//

They all filed out in front of the barracks, forming two lines in front of Schultz. It was an unusually warm morning, considering they were in the middle of Germany and it was winter. The sun was already coming up and there were only a few clouds to block the sun. As they waited for Schultz to finish counting, Hogan looked over at the building almost directly across from them. There was a sign on the front, which read '_Kommandantur_'. It was the office and living quarters of Colonel Wilhelm Klink, Kommandant of Stalag 13.

"Hey Schultzie." Newkirk spoke up from beside Hogan. "What's the big idea 'bout waking us up so early eh? Can't we 'ave a sleep in sometimes?"

"Ask the commandant." Schultz said. "I just follow orders."

"Repoooorrrrrtttttt!!!" A voice sounded from behind Schultz.

"Speak of the kraut, here's your chance Newkirk." Hogan pointed to a German officer walking, hunched over towards them. He was wearing a monocle and holding a riding crop under his left arm.

"Schultz I asked for a report." Klink said again as he came to a halt in front of Schultz and the formation.

"All present and accounted for _Herr Kommandant_." Schultz saluted, thankful that there had been no escapes that night. The men in barracks to had a history of causing trouble for him during roll call.

"Very good Schultz." Klink said, returning the salute. "I have been informed that one of the roads leading to Hammelberge needs to be repaired. I am looking for volunteers; anyone who would like to help may come and see me any time today."

"What do we get in return?" Hogan asked as the men started to respond in ways that might get them a week in solitary.

"Two extra slices of white bread a week. Diss-missed Hogan." Klink turned and headed back into his office.

"'Two extra slices of white bread a week' for an entire days work? He's gone 'round the bend he 'as." Newkirk said.

"That's nothing new" Sergeant James Kinchloe said, coming to stand next to Newkirk. "It might be just what we need to get LeBeau out of the cooler though."

"It might." Hogan agreed. "You fellas wait here. I'll see if I can't persuade our dear commandant to release LeBeau.

Hogan walked towards Klink's office and almost made it inside the door, when Schultz came hurrying up behind him and made him stop. Schultz was a big, burly sergeant who always tried to act tough around Klink and his superiors. In reality, he was a big softy who let the prisoners get away with almost anything. As long as that prisoner had a couple candy bars on him. Schultz had always said that he never liked taking sides in a war, and most of the time he lived up to that claim.

"What's the matter Schultz?" Hogan asked.

"Where are you going? You are supposed to be in the barracks."

"Klink wanted volunteers for a work detail didn't he? I'm just going to ask him about it that's all."

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Klink was sitting at his desk trying to do some paper work that needed to be sent to Berlin. It was quickly increasing by the day and he had not even glanced at it since his secretary had given it to him. He had more 'important' things to deal with at the moment. His camp was the only one with a perfect no-escape record. It was always something he had been proud of, but it was increasingly hard work. It was even more difficult when you had someone like Colonel Robert Hogan for a prisoner. He was always after something and he was always had some kind of deal ready to get what he wanted.

As he signed the various reports and documents that needed to be sent back to Berlin, in triplicate of cause, Hilda knocked on the door and entered the office. She was a relatively tall woman, with blonde hair. Klink had always thought she was beautiful but if he was being honest with himself, she was well out of his league.

"What is it Fraulein Hilda? I am very busy at the moment."

"Colonel Hogan is here to see you commandant." She smiled as Hogan walked past her and into the office.

"Hogan whatever it is, it can wait until this afternoon. I do not have time to listen to another one of your complaints."

"You're the one who wanted a work detail for the road." Hogan said. "If you've changed your mind, just forget it." He turned and headed for the door only.

"Hogan wait." Klink looked up from his paper work. "General Burkhalter has ordered me to have my men to fix the road. As I do not have the men to spare, I wanted a work detail to do the work instead. Do you have volunteers?"

"Well." Hogan said slowly. "Maybe. They want to know what you can offer them besides two slices of bread per week."

"What else is there? I am not asking for them to do any hard labour. Just simple road work."

"Come on colonel. Is there any other kind of labour?... I might be able to convince them if you release LeBeau from the cooler."

"Out of the question. He attempted to escape after I warned all of you against it."

"He's been in there for a week. Let him out, he's learned his lesson. Just ask him if you don't believe me."

"Alright, I will suspend LeBeau's sentence as long as your men agree to do the work necessary."

"I'll go tell Schultz to let him out. With LeBeau helping us, it will be much quicker." Hogan gave his usual sloppy salute and left the office.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine._

_**Chapter 2**___

"Can someone please remember to shoot me if I ever volunteer for a work detail again?" Newkirk asked as he opened the door to barracks two and led the way inside.

"It wasn't that bad Newkirk." Kinch said. He collapsed on his bunk and added. "Who am I kidding? It was probably the most work we've had to do for Klink. At least in the past few months."

Hogan, Kinch, Carter, Newkirk and LeBeau had just returned from a work detail on one of the main roads near Hammelberge. Although they had all gotten used to work details, this was possibly the hardest one yet. There had been so much work needed on just that small stretch of road, that it had taken almost the entire day to complete the job. Normally it would have only taken a few hours.

No one else was in the barracks when they walked in, which was okay by them. They had not had a chance, since arriving back in the camp the night before, about their meeting with Tiger. LeBeau had to stay behind because he was in the cooler and unfortunately part of the tunnel leading to the cooler had collapsed two days before. Kinch had stayed behind to cover for them, just in case Schultz decided he would have one of his barracks inspections while they were out. Thankfully that had not happened.

"The underground needs to stop all activity until the Gestapo relax security again." Hogan told them while LeBeau started cooking dinner.

"But colonel." LeBeau looked around as he stirred the ingredients that were cooking in the pot. "What about the three commandos that we sent to the underground last week? How are they supposed to..."

"They reached the sub late last night." Kinch cut in. "Sorry colonel. I meant to say something last night but considering you got back so late, it slipped my mind."

"As long as they reached the sub. There's nothing to apologise about."

"Does London know about the underground yet sir?"

"Yeah they managed to get a message to them sometime yesterday, according to Tiger."

They continued talking until Schultz barged into the room and called them outside for the last roll call of the day. Klink came out of his office moments after they had lined up and Schultz reported everyone present. It was an unusually quick roll call. Klink seemed to be disturbed about something, which usually meant there were going to be problems that normally made it just that bit harder for Hogan and his men to do their job. '_**Help allied **__**prisoners**__** get back home, **__**s**__**abotage the enemy wher**__**ever possibl**__**e**__** and pass along any useful information to headquarter**__**s**__** in London**_.' Those were Hogan's orders and he was more than happy to cause trouble where ever he could.

They watched Klink hurry back inside and then headed indoors as well. Hogan led the way into his quarters. Kinch, LeBeau, Newkirk and Carter all followed without a word. Carter shut the door as Hogan grabbed an old coffee pot out from under his desk. He removed the basket of the pot and placed it on the table beside it. It was still connected to the pot by a wire, which ran down the inside of the pot. Next he pulled out a cable and plugged it into the side of the pot. Once plugged in a red light appeared just above the cable.

"Let's see why old Klink is so wound up." Hogan said, looking from one man to the next.

"_Yes __Herr __General__ but..._" Klink's voice came through loud and clear through the coffee pot.

"_No sir__ I always co operate with the Gestapo but to have them use my camp as a headqua__rters for their investigation?..__'__Shut up and listen__'__, yes sir._" Hogan pulled the plug out from the coffee pot. They all knew how the rest of the conversation went.

"You gotta hand it to Klink. 'E stood up to Burkhalter for a full 30 seconds this time 'round." Newkirk said. "Gotta be some kind of record."

"Yeah." Kinch agreed "With the Gestapo coming, he'll need every bit of back bone he can find. Those guys don't muck around."

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It had been two days since they heard Klink talking to general Burkhalter on the phone and the Gestapo had not showed up yet. Klink was still agitated and only ever appeared outside his office for roll calls and to check the security of the camp. It was never a disappointment to anyone in the camp when the Gestapo failed to show up when they were expected. It rarely happened, but it was much better than having them show up and take over the entire camp. Klink could never stand up for himself, so it was up to Hogan and his men to keep the camp from falling into their hands. So far, over the past three years, they had managed to protect Klink, the camp and their operation.

LeBeau was watching the football match between barracks 4 and 5. He was also making sure that Schultz or any of the other guards, didn't come barging into the barracks while Hogan, Kinch and Newkirk were down in the tunnels trying to make adjustments to the short wave radio. He was used to being lookout for and never really minded, it gave him something to do that didn't involve cooking. Not that he hated cooking, he was French after all.

"Hi Schultzie. What's new?" He called when he spotted the guard heading his way.

"The big shot wants me to do an inspection of the barracks. The Gestapo are on their way here and he wants everything in order. Some surprise." He added sarcastically, heading past LeBeau and into the barracks.

"Schultz!" LeBeau grabbed his arms and managed to squeeze himself between Schultz and the door. "Where are you going? We're all here. They are just resting. Best not to wake them."

"Please LeBeau; I have to see that for myself. Let me through."

"Trust me Schultz. There's nothing in there worth seeing. Just the same old boring stuff." He stood his ground, trying to convince Schultz not to go inside. "I'll make you apple strudel tonight, if you take my word for it and stay out here."

A slightly dreamy look appeared on his face, just like any other time food was mentioned around him. "You are so good to me, even though we are enemies."

"I can't help it Schultz, I have a bad habit of being nice to people." LeBeau smiled. "Why don't you watch the game with me? I think Barracks 5 is winning."

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"How bad is it?" Hogan asked. Kinch was their expert radio man and had set up all the radios and hidden microphones that they were using.

"Well, without going into detail." Kinch looked up from where he was working on the wiring. "We need new parts. I can't do anything with these. It's worse than I first thought."

"Great. Just what we need." Hogan sighed and sat down. "Any chance of sending one last transmission?"

"Maybe, but it will have to be extremely short and close by. These wires aren't going to last a long distance call."

"When's the next change over for the dogs?"

"Three days from now." Newkirk answered; completely confused about what part the dogs will play in getting radio parts.

"Kinch, I need you to send a quick message to Oscar Schnitzer. Tell him we need to talk to him and if he can make the trip tonight instead."

Hogan and Newkirk turned to face the ladder leading up into the barracks. LeBeau was coming down the ladder with a worried look on his face. It was funny how with one look, the atmosphere in the room could change.

"Colonel, Klink wants a barracks inspection." LeBeau said, slightly out of breathe. "I managed to distract Schultz long enough to get down here, but he'll be back any minute."

"Everyone upstairs now. Kinch forget about..." Hogan began.

"I read you Papa Bear." A male voice sounded over the shortwave radio.

"Kinch, we'll meet you up there, but be quick. We don't have a lot of time."

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Schultz opened the door and walked inside. Every one ignored him and continued with whatever they were doing at the time. Klink followed Klink through the door; still no one came to attention. Newkirk, Carter, LeBeau and Kinch were playing cards at the table in the middle of the room while others were just lazing about on their bunks, talking to each other. Klink looked around the room, noticing that Hogan was not there, he immediately thought something was suspicious. He couldn't help it; he had known Hogan for almost three years.

"Where is Colonel Hogan?" He asked the room at large. LeBeau looked towards Hogan's office.

"He should be in there commandant."

"Hogan!!!" Klink called out at the top of his voice.

"Did one of you fellas call me?" Hogan asked as he walked out of office and looked around the room. "Oh hi commandant, what can I do for you?"

"Hogan I want this barracks cleaned up. Major Hochstetter is coming to Stalag 13 and I want the barracks spotless."

"Really? Well okay, but I thought this place couldn't get any cleaner." Hogan grinned at the look on Klink's face. It was as though he wanted nothing more than to scream but couldn't bring himself to it. "Alright men, you heard him; clean this place up."

"Hogan I am warning you in advance; any monkey business of any kind from you or your men will be punished immediately and without mercy." Klink tried to sound tougher than he really was. He looked even more foolish for his effort.

Klink stormed out of the room, calling Schultz when the sergeant stopped to ask LeBeau about the strudel situation. After the door closed behind them and they were sure no one was coming back inside, Kinch threw down the cards he was holding and turned towards Hogan. He had just managed to sit down and pick up his cards as Schultz opened the door. Thankfully, Klink hadn't noticed and completely ignored him.

"He'll be here tonight at 8:30 sir. I was able to get the reply just before the radio completely died."

"I thought the wires didn't need anything but a slight adjustment?" LeBeau questioned as he got up and started on the apple strudel he had promised Schultz.

"Yeah that's what I first thought to. When I checked it out again, it turns out they are totally fried. We need new ones."

"Can he get them for us?"

"He told me he managed to get hold of some spares three weeks ago. He's bringing them with him tonight."

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Oscar Schnitzer's truck pulled up at the front gates and was admitted almost immediately into the camp. He drove up to the dog kennels where he was met by Schultz. Oscar Schnitzer was the local German veterinarian and took care of all the German Sheppard guard dogs that were in the camp. He was a middle aged man who looked to be in his late forty's, possibly mid fifty's. He always wore the same dark, checked jacket and brown woollen hat. He wasn't just an ordinary vet however, instead of training the dogs to hate prisoners; he trained them to be friendly towards them and slightly aggressive towards Germans. He was an underground agent and often helped Hogan by taking escaped POW's out of camp and into the hands of other members of the underground so they would be able to get back home.

"_Guten Aben_ Schultz." He said stepping out of the truck.

"_Aben_." Schultz greeted in return. "How is everything on the outside?"

"Same as always. Dogs keeping me busy." He was always polite to Schultz; he had nothing against the man personally. He just got annoyed with all the questions every time he pulled up at the gates. He continued to talk while he changed the dogs, making sure to close the gate each time he moved away from it.

Hogan came up behind Schultz and greeted both men with a smile. Behind Schultz's back Schnitzer nodded slightly to Hogan, silently telling him that he had the parts for him. Hogan stood watching Schnitzer change a couple of the dogs and after a moment Schultz realised he was still standing there.

"Colonel Hogan! What are you doing outside the barracks? If the commandant sees you here I will be in so much trouble. Please Colonel Hogan, go back inside."

"Wait a minute Schultz." Hogan interrupted him. "I was just coming over here to tell you that there's a blackjack game goin' on in the barracks. I thought you might be interested in joining...But if you're not interested I'll just go back and tell them."

"Colonel Hogan, would you mind getting the extra lead for the dogs? It should be under the passenger seat of the truck." Schultz was cut off before he could say any more to Hogan.

"_Nein nein nein_." Schultz said before Hogan even had a chance to take a step towards the truck. "

"Schultz do not worry, he cannot do anything when I have the keys in my pocket." Schnitzer pulled out a set of keys and held them up for him to see.

Hogan moved around to the front of the truck and opened the passenger door. While Schultz was busy talking, he rummaged around under the seat and eventually found three small radio parts. As he was looking, Kinch had made his way silently to the truck and Hogan handed him the parts. Kinch headed back to the barracks once he had hidden them under his jacket. Hogan turned back to the truck and pulled out an old dog lead, the returned to the back of the truck and handed it over. After a quick word of thanks, Hogan headed back inside to see if Kinch was able to use the parts they now had.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine._

_**Chapter 3:**_

Just after roll call the next morning a black staff car drove into the camp. The driver stopped the car just outside Klink's office and stepped out. The man was wearing a black uniform and hat. On the left sleeve of his jacket was a swastika on a red arm band. Judging by the uniform, he was only a private. He opened the passenger door and another man in the same uniform stepped out of the back seat. The man was major Hochstetter. A regular visitor of the camp and was in charge of all security in the local area; with the exception of the stalags, which were controlled by the Luftwaffe.

Klink came out to greet the major with a smiling face but as soon as the major's back was turned. You could tell just by looking at Klink, that he wasn't happy. Klink hurried inside the office again following Hochstetter. Klink stopped in the outer office when he saw Hilda working on some reports that were going to Berlin.

"Fraulien Hilda." Klink spoke up when she didn't notice him. "I do not want any interruptions no matter who comes in or calls. Understood?"

"_Jawohl Herr __Commandant_." Hilda said. Slightly confused, she looked into Klink's office and saw Hochstetter standing there looking angry.

"What can I do for you major?" Klink asked, closing the door behind him. He took a seat behind his desk.

"I am here on a special assignment from Berlin Klink." He began. He was not happy at being back at Stalag 13, as far as he was concerned; the less time he spent there, the better he would feel.

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"Looks like we have company." Kinch said to Carter as the game broke up due to the car driving into camp. "Better tell Hogan that Hochstetter's arrived. Come on."

Carter threw the football over to Lieutenant Mills and followed Kinch back to the barracks. The others continued to play as they walked off. When they reached the barracks Kinch and Carter ran into Newkirk, who was coming out.

"You're going to want to hear this. Hochstetter has just gone into Klink's office." Carter stopped Newkirk and turned him around.

Newkirk led the way into the room and grabbed LeBeau on the way without saying a word. Kinch knocked on the door to Hogan's room and opened it. To their surprise Hogan was already setting up the coffee pot to listen in on what was going on in Klink's office. They all stood or sat around the table while he finished plugging in the pot.

"I saw the car pull into camp when I looked out the window." He explained before any of them could ask.

"_Klink_." Hochstetter's voice came through loud and clear. "_I am trying to explain why __I am using your c__amp. Will you shut up and listen?_"

"_Yes sir, shut up and listen._"

"Good old Klink" LeBeau laughed. "Never could stand up to the Hochstetter for more than a second."

"_An underground munitions factory has been built just outside Dusseldo__rf__. Despite all attempts by the Allies to bomb this__ factory, with the exception of minor damages to the outside protection; it has remained intact__. I am using your Stalag for my headquarters. London will never bomb their own men, so I am relatively safe here to carry out all my work._"

"So that's what all the fuss is about." Hogan frowned.

"London has blown up underground factories before. I wonder why they can't get at this one." Carter wondered aloud.

"This one must to far underground to be affected by the bombs. Either that or they can't get near enough to cause any real damage." Hogan replied. He was already trying to figure out a way to contact the underground and find out what they would know about the factory.

"_But major, there is not enough room here for you to set up any part of your headquarters. This is only a small Stalag. I'm sure that if you look hard enough you would be able to..._"

"_Klink! If I wanted your opinion I would have asked for it._" Their argument continued to sound over the speakers until Hogan finally unplugged it. There was no need to hear any more.

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Newkirk came in through the barracks door. He had been watching the Gestapo for the past hour; they had three Gestapo soldiers standing outside the cooler and another five surrounding barracks 9 which was currently unoccupied. Every time a prisoner came within fifty meters of either area, the guards would not take their eyes off them until they were far enough away. Newkirk had come straight back to the barracks, looking for Hogan. After checking his room, he headed for Kinch's bunk. He hit the wooden frame and after a second or two; the bottom bunk where Kinch slept, rose into the one above and reveal the hidden entrance to the tunnel network below them.

Climbing down the ladder, Newkirk heard voices coming from below. He stepped down from the ladder and went walked around the corner and found Hogan and Kinch working on the radio. It looked like they had almost finished fixing it, which was a very good thing. Considering they needed to know exactly what was going on with that factory.

"Hochstetter's set up headquarters in the cooler and barracks 9. When anyone gets too close for comfort, they get pretty agitated." Newkirk said once they looked up. "Looks like pretty heavy security as well. We're not gonna get near it."

"That's just like Hochstetter Taking over the camp as much as possible; without Burkhalter knowing of cause." Hogan said. Sighing he stood up and searched through a pile of maps on the table. He was looking for a map of Dusseldorf.

"Okay." Kinch said. He made one small adjustment to the radio. "That should do it."

"Colonel." Carter's voice came floating down into the tunnels. "Schultz's headed this way."

Kinch unplugged the radio, and followed Newkirk and Hogan upstairs. Once he was in the barracks again, he turned and hit the frame of the bunk, which closed the entrance once again. The door opened and in walked Schultz. Schultz left the door open, and Hogan walked past and closed it again while the sergeant sat down at the table. Taking his helmet off, Schultz sighed and then rested his rifle on the table in front of him.

"Hi Schultzie, what brings you to 'ere?" Newkirk asked while dealing LeBeau and himself a set of cards. "Come to join in the game?"

"No. This is just a friendly visit."

"Yeah, it's either a friendly visit, or you want me to make you something to eat." LeBeau said under his breath.

"Schultz, we'd love to chat with you, but we're a little busy at the moment so if you could come back some other time."

"Busy? Doing what? There is nothing to do."

"Do you really want to know? If you do; we'll tell you."

"Tell me." Schultz said, thinking that Hogan would make up something small; like gambling in the barracks.

"Alright." Hogan sighed. "But just remember; you asked us. We've just been down in our tunnel, trying to fix the short wave radio. We have to go back down there and check to see if it really works."

Schultz didn't say a word. After a moment or two he started to smile. "Jolly jokers. If you want me to leave just say so. There is no need to make up a story like that." Schultz laughed uncertainly.

"Sorry Schultz." Carter said. He was sitting on his bunk and reading a book he had received from home three weeks ago.

Schultz got up, grabbed his helmet off the table and left the room. Hogan grabbed the rifle that was still leaning up against the table and stood by the door, grinning. The door opened again and Schultz hurried back inside looking for it. He took it back, mumbled something under his breath and almost slammed the door shut for a second time. He was always forgetting his riffle somewhere, and it was normally when he was in barracks 2.

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It was late evening when Kinch managed to get hold of the underground. Security in Hammelberge had been relaxed, but only slightly. It was enough for them to risk sending a message on the radio. Kinch switched on the radio and tuned it onto the emergency frequency. Above them, on the commandants building, the top of the flag pole rose 5 feet above its regular height. When Hogan and his men first started their mission at stalag 13, Kinch had installed the antenna into the flagpole. It had been the only place that it would not be noticed by Klink or anyone else.

Using the emergency frequency to contact the underground was safer than the normal one they use for everyday use. Only certain members of the underground new their frequency; which reduced the risk of anyone listening in without them knowing.

"Colonel, Tiger's on the radio and standing by." Kinch pulled the headphones on as he spoke.

"Okay, tell her that we need to know everything she can find out about that factory. Defences, number of guards around the perimeter, anything that might be able to help us." As Hogan was talking, Kinch had been sending the message over the radio. It was a few minutes before the reply came back to them. "She said that she'll try to get all the information from her contacts."

"Great. Tell her we'll contact her again tomorrow night."

"Hold it." Kinch held up a hand to stop any further talking. "No go colonel. Apparently the factory is top secret and any information she may get can't be sent over the radio. One of her contacts will meet us at the barn outside Hammelberge, like the other night." Kinch acknowledged the meeting and turned off the radio.

"Think she can get the information Guv'nor?" Newkirk asked.

"She's come through for us in the past. No reason why she can't this time."

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"They should have been back by now." Hogan paced between Kinch's bunk and table in the middle of the room. "What's taking so long?"

"They'll be okay colonel. Newkirk and Kinch can handle whatever is thrown at them." LeBeau said as he washed the dishes.

Newkirk and Kinch had been gone for the past two hours. They had gone to meet an underground contact that, apparently, new a lot about the factory. It normally took around half an hour to get to the meeting place. With the Gestapo all over the place however, they all knew it would take longer. It was always a risk to go out and meet with an underground agent, but going out tonight and knowing that the Gestapo are on the alert for any suspicious activity was downright dangerous.

The entrance to the tunnel opened and Carter came up into the room. "They're back colonel, just coming through the tunnel now." He said. Turning back to face the tunnel, Hogan saw Kinch climb up the ladder. He didn't look to happy.

"Kinch, what happened? Is everything alright?" Hogan asked. Kinch didn't climb out of the entrance.

"We had some trouble coming back. The nearby patrol must have heard something, so they started shooting in our direction."

"Was anyone hurt?"

"The underground agent got shot in the leg by a stray bullet. We had to move slower than usual, that's why we took so long to get back here." Kinch said.

"Where's Newkirk?"

"Newkirk's with her. We may need Wilson down here; I'm not sure how bad it is."

"Carter, go get Wilson and meet us down there."

Kinch led the way to where Newkirk was doing his best to clean the wound. He was about to bandage the area when he saw everyone coming over. He gently put her leg down and went to talk to them before they got to far.

"She should be okay in a day or two." He said quietly. "'Er name's Christine and she knows a fair bit. Her cousin works in the factory and he's told 'er everything that may help us. She's passed out just as we came down the ladder." He added, explaining why he was talking quietly.

"What's going on colonel? Carter said someone had been shot." Wilson came down the ladder. He was the camp medic for all the prisoners. Considering most of the men preferred one of their own men helping them when someone was sick or, on rare occasions, hurt; Wilson had been the logical choice and was more than happy to help in any way he could. He had medical training from before the war and was often needed around the camp.

"Yeah, her name is Christine. We thought it was best if you took a look. A stray bullet managed to get her in the leg. Do you mind?"

"Of cause not." He pulled up the chair Newkirk had been sitting on a few minutes before and started examining the wound. "She'll be okay. It's just grazed her. She'll need to keep off it for a couple days." He said after a few minutes. He finished cleaning the wound properly and wrapped a bandage around her leg.

"Thanks Joe. We thought it was something more serious." Wilson left and headed back to his own barracks. "Kinch, I need you to get in contact with the underground, tell them what happened and that she won't be able to leave for a few days."

"Right."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine._

_**Chapter 4:**_

Christine woke up late evening that same night. At first, she didn't know where she was but once she saw Newkirk talking to Kinch over by the radio, she realised that she was safe. She moved her leg slowly but stopped as she felt the pain. She couldn't suppress a groan, which caught the attention of the others in the room.

"Hi." Kinch walked over to her while Newkirk went upstairs to find Hogan. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than I was." She smiled. After a second or two she looked serious. "Were either of you hurt?"

"No, we made it back in one piece." He helped her sit up on the bed. "It was pretty close though." Kinch handed her some water in an old coffee cup he found lying around. He could see that she was still shaken by what had happened and tried to calm her down as much as he could.

She had told them, when they first met at the barn, that this had been her first assignment since joining the underground two months ago. Kinch had wanted her to just tell them the information and leave as soon as possible. She had insisted on going through with the original plan; continue on to Stalag 13, even though they had warned her that there would be Gestapo surrounding the area around the camp and that it would be even more dangerous because had never done anything like this before.

"Some first assignment." Kinch joked half-heartedly, trying to lighten the mood.

"It was not your fault Kinch." She told him firmly. "When I first joined the underground with my cousin, we were told of the risks involved and we were given a choice. We still had the opportunity to leave the underground. I know the risk and danger that is involved. I am not afraid to do what needs to be done, no matter how dangerous it is."

"You showed that tonight. Why did you join? If you knew how much you were risking?"

"For a chance to do my part in this war, and hopefully help to end it quicker. Hitler has taken control of France and I will not just stand aside and do nothing as long as I can help it. The Germans think that we are both traitors to our country and that we believe in the Thousand Year Reich."

"Let's hope they keep thinking that way." Hogan appeared at Kinch's side. Newkirk and LeBeau were standing behind him. "How is your leg now?"

"Better than it was." She changed the subject before anyone could get say another word and started telling them everything she knew about. "The factory is used to deliver ammunition to the Russian Front every two weeks. It is ideally located and heavily guarded at all times. My cousin works inside the factory, he does what he can to slow the process but he can't do a lot. However, he has given me this." She picked up and bag that she had brought with her and took out a roll of paper. She spread it across the side table allowing everyone to see it clearly.

"This is a rough map of the interior of the factory, there are three levels altogether. The first level, which is the furthest underground, is where the officers are. They are the ones who receive the orders and make sure they are delivered on time. That level has only a few people in it but is still carefully guarded." After they had all seen it, she showed them the second sheet of paper. "This level is where everything is made and goes through the first check points. When they have passed the inspection, they are taken up to the top level and go through one last check and then loaded into crates, ready to be taken to Russian Front." She continued to go through all the details that she knew of. It was only when Olsen had called from the entrance of the tunnel that Schultz was coming to do his nightly headcount, did they stop and went upstairs for the night.

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Hogan, Newkirk and Carter were sitting at the table, playing poker. Kinch was down in the tunnel passing on the information to London and LeBeau was outside talking to Schultz and keeping him away from the barracks for as long as he could. Schultz always came in unannounced and usually it was alright but these past few days they had needed to keep him away.

"Colonel." Kinch called as he came up the ladder and into the room. "Just got off the radio with London. They pass on their thanks but need us to get rid of that factory as soon as possible."

"What? How can they expect us to get anywhere near there?" Hogan said. "It's impossible. No one can get near the place without specific orders, which according to Christine, can be checked at any time and more than likely will be. It's just not possible."

"So when do we start?" Kinch asked. He had known his commanding officer for three years; he knew all too well that, when you're talking about Hogan, nothing is impossible. Even when he says it is.

"We can't do anything until Christine is back with the underground." Hogan walked over to the coffee pot and poured some fresh coffee into his cup. "How is she this morning?"

"She's already walking around like normal. In fact, she wants to know if she can do anything else to help."

"The best thing she can do for us right now is nothing. We'll take her out through the emergency tunnel tonight and make sure she gets to the underground safely."

Hogan was by the tunnel exit making sure everything was clear for Carter to take Christine out without being seen. He was using a home-made periscope; which allowed them to see the front gates and the area around the opening. It was disguised on the outside as part of the bushes, so anyone who saw it wouldn't pay attention to it. "All clear outside the wire." Hogan said as he lowered the periscope. "The only one out there is Schultz and the dogs are guarding him, so you should be okay."

"Thank you colonel. Good luck and if there is anything else you need; let me know."

Carter climbed the ladder first. He opened the trap door slowly; making sure the searchlight was not near them. Quickly climbing out he closed the opening and hid in the bushes just in front of him. When the searchlight had passed and it was safe; He opened the entrance again and Christine climbed out. Once the searchlights had passed over a second time, Carter led the way into the woods.

It was surprisingly quiet as they moved through the woods. They passed only one patrol of Luftwaffe guards, avoided them easily and continued on until they reached the meeting place; just outside of Hammelberge. Once Christine was safely in the hands of the underground again, carter returned to camp. As he came closer to the tunnels entrance however, he found that the guards had been doubled from the time he left camp. He stayed hidden for a while, trying to figure a way to get back inside without being caught. Carter had no choice but to give himself up at the front gates and hope that colonel Hogan would be able to get him out of whatever Klink would have in store for him.

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"Hey colonel." Olsen called. He had been keeping watch out the window while LeBeau was down in the tunnel, waiting for Carter to come back in. "Come quick, there's something going on outside."

Hogan went over to the window and looked out, only to find Carter being escorted by Schultz and one of the other guards into Klink's office. Carter glanced over their barracks and shrugged slightly, in the hopes that someone would see him. "What the hell is he doing?" Hogan grabbed his cap and headed out of the barracks.

Walking across the yard to Klink's office, Hogan saw the light switch on and knew immediately that Klink would be angry. It was nothing Hogan couldn't handle of cause; if he knew why the hell Carter had got himself caught in the first place. He walked up the steps and into the outer office, where Hilda normally worked. It was late at night so she had gone home until the morning. He knocked on Klink's door and went inside without waiting for a response. He saw Klink in his pyjamas and red bathrobe. It looked as though he had just been woken up.

"Hogan what are you doing here? I didn't send for you yet."

"I know commandant." Hogan stood beside Carter. "I just wanted to know why one of my men had been brought to your office this late at night. That's all."

"He was caught trying to escape Hogan, That's why." Klink said angrily. "How many times do your men have to try to escape before they realise that it is impossible? There has never been a successful escape from Stalag 13 and there never will be, so long as I am in charge."

"Mentally they know that sir, but they still have hope." Hogan turned to Carter. "Just what were you thinking Carter? You know how tight security has been lately. Furthermore; you should have told me what you were planning. You know all escapes have to go through me first."

"Sorry colonel." Carter said softly. "I guess I just got a little too home sick. I wasn't thinking straight."

"There." Hogan said brightly to Klink. "No harm done and he won't do it again. See you in the morning commandant." Carter and Hogan turned to leave.

"_**Hogan**_!!!" Klink called. "You are not going anywhere. Sergeant Carter will spend one week in the cooler for his efforts. Schultz, take him to the cooler immediately."

"Colonel Klink." Hogan started to protest. "The Gestapo are using the cooler at the moment and I do not want my men in there while Hochstetter's goons are there. Confine him to the barracks if you want but I don't want him in the cooler."

"That decision is not yours to make Colonel Hogan. The Gestapo are only here until tomorrow night. I think he can survive one night of being in the same building. Diss-missed."

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Klink had been telling the truth about Hochstetter and his men leaving camp the next night. Just before the last roll call of the day Newkirk saw them leaving through the main gates. He waited until He could no longer see the two cars and went to tell Hogan that it was all clear to use the tunnel into the cooler. After checking to see if Hogan was in his room, Newkirk made his way down into the tunnel.

"The Gestapo just left guv'nor." Newkirk made his way over to Hogan. He was going over a map of Dusseldorf which had been given to him by Hilda the year before.

"All of them?" Hogan asked. He had looked up when he heard Newkirk climb down the ladder.

"Every last one of 'em" He grinned. "Back to the old Stalag I'm afraid."

"Good. It's about time." Hogan folded up the maps and returned them to the footlocker beside the table. "Let's go see how Carter is doing."

They made their way through the tunnels until they arrived just below the cooler. Newkirk tapped on the wall of the tunnel three times. Just behind the wall was where Carter was being held. If Carter had heard the noise through the door, he would make sure the coast was clear outside his cell before helping to open entrance. They waited a few minutes and tapped again, just to be sure Carter had heard them. Another minute passed and they heard a scraping on the other side. Carter was moving the table out of the way so they would be able to get through.

"Hi Newkirk, How's it going?" Carter said as he helped the Englishman into the cell.

"Marvellous. Just bloody marvellous." Newkirk grumbled sitting on the bed. "Instead of coming through the emergency tunnel like you were supposed to, you get yourself caught."

"Alright Newkirk, Go easy on him. I'm sure there's a good reason."

"There sure is colonel." Carter said. "I don't know what happened back here before I got back but the guards were doubled. There was no way I could see to get back in without being seen, so I figured the best way would be to let Schultz capture me. It was the safest way I could think of which didn't end with me getting shot."

"Good thinking. Did you have any trouble with Christine?"

"No sir, we only passed one patrol on the way there and nothing on the way back." Carter listened through the door to make sure no one was coming to check on him. "She'll be okay with the underground; they're getting someone to stay at her house for a few days to make sure she isn't being watched."

"Okay, we'll see you tomorrow. I'll get LeBeau to cook you something for breakfast. Any requests?"

"How about some waffles?" Carter smiled as Hogan and Newkirk pull the Small section of the wall closed behind them as they made their way back through the tunnels.

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Hilda was at her desk typing up reports that needed to be sent to Berlin. So far it had been very quiet; Colonel Hogan had not been in to see Klink this morning. Even though she was able to get more work done when it was quiet, she didn't mind when the American officer stopped by to see Klink. Klink was in his office, going over reports and Schultz was on duty in the cooler. In the middle of the most recent report she was typing, the phone rang.

"Colonel Klink's office." She answered the phone. "One moment please." Hilda put the phone down and knocked on the office door.

"What is it Hilda?" Klink said without looking up when the door opened.

"General Burkhalter is on the phone for you commandant." Hilda said sweetly.

"Why is it he always calls me when I am in the middle of a report to Berlin?" Klink was getting annoyed with all the phone calls from Burkhalter recently. He couldn't complain however, because the general was his commanding officer and Klink could be sent to the Russian Front an hour after Burkhalter gives the orders. "Put him through."

"Ah general Burkhalter" Klink picked up the phone after the first ring. "How nice it is to hear from you again." // _Even though I could have done without the call_. // "Yes sir, major Hochstetter left last night...Your bringing your guest here?...Tonight?...But general don't you think it would be better to...Yes sir, I will make the arrangements...goodbye general...What's that? Oh yes _Hail Hitler_."

Klink hung up the phone and scowled. He hated when Burkhalter rang and mentioned that he would be bringing a guest to the camp and would be expecting dinner to be prepared for them just after they arrive. His regular cook was excellent when it came to the everyday meals he prepared, but Hogan's man LeBeau was an excellent cook for when guests would be coming.

"Just when I thought I was going to have a morning without seeing Hogan." Klink said to himself out loud. "Fraulein Hilda."

"You called Herr Commandant?" Hilda opened the door.

"Yes. Now normally I would ask Schultz, but considering he is guarding a prisoner in the cooler and Corporal Langenscheidt is on leave, I have no other choice."

"What is colonel?"

"Can you please get Hogan to come in here immediately?"

"Me colonel?" Hilda was confused but didn't argue. "Yes sir." She added as she backed out of the room, closing the door behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine._

_**Chapter 5:**_

Hilda walked quickly across the grounds and headed for Hogan's barracks. She had been in there before of cause, she was constantly helping him and his men get military secrets from the officers that occasionally came into camp looking for a safe place to stay. She smiled as three of the prisoners looked over at her, but continued walking to the barracks without stopping to talk.

She knocked on the door once before opening it and slowly walking inside. LeBeau was at the stove cooking something in a large pot, Newkirk, Kinch and Olsen were playing a card game and the rest of the men were scattered throughout the room doing their own thing. Hogan on the other hand was not to be seen anywhere. When she closed the door behind her and everyone stopped talking at once. It seemed that everyone was staring at her except LeBeau, Kinch and Newkirk. She saw them so often it was nothing unusual to see her in the same room.

"Hello." She said, slightly uncomfortable. She was not used to so much attention when she walked into a room. After a minute or two however, they all seemed to go back to whatever it was they were doing. "Newkirk have you seen Colonel Hogan anywhere? The commandant wants to see him in his office."

"He went to see 'ow Carter's doin' in the cooler. Why did old Klink send you? He normally gets Schultz to come annoy us like this. Not that this is particularly annoying mind." He added hastily.

"I know what you mean." Hilda laughed. "Thank you. I'll see you later on I expect." With those last few words she left the room and headed across to the cooler on the other side of the camp.

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"You wanted to see me colonel?" Hogan walked into Klink's office. Hilda smiled at him and closed the door.

"Yes I did." Klink looked up at Hogan. "General Burkhalter is coming here today and will be bringing a very important guest with him."

"Oh? Who is he?" Hogan was beginning to get interested. If Burkhalter was bringing someone here, then that person, whoever he is; would more than likely have some secret that they don't want the allies to know about.

"He never said who he was bringing." Klink said, and then changed the subject. He considered his next words carefully "Your man LeBeau. He's is a very good chef and I was wondering if he would be able to cook a meal for the General and his guest."

"All I can do is ask." Hogan Began, crossing his arms over his chest. "Although it might help me convince LeBeau to cook a nice meal if your release Carter from the cooler."

"No. Carter tried to escape after I warned all of you." He stays where he is."

"Come on colonel. He's been in there long enough. He gave himself up and gave you his word he wouldn't try to do it again."

"Absolutely not."

"Fine. I will do my best but I doubt he will want to work in the kitchen for someone who can't even take a man by his own word." Hogan left the room, closing the door behind him.

"_**Hogan**_" Klink called. He opened the door to find Hogan standing there with a smile on his face. "If Carter tries to escape just once, his sentence will be doubled."

"Yes sir. Thank you." Hogan saluted Klink and headed outside. // _T__oo__ easy. _//

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The football game that was being played by some of the prisoners ended as they moved out of General Burkhalter's staff car as it drove into camp in the late afternoon and came to a stop in front of Klink's office. The driver was a private and he got out of the car then held the door open for Burkhalter to step out. On the other side of the car, a Man in his early 30's climbed out and followed Burkhalter into the building.

Carter had been reading his book outside, keeping an eye out for when the car would arrive at the gates. He saw the two men walk inside and headed for the barrack to tell Hogan they had finally made it.

"Come in." Hogan's voice called out as Carter knocked on the door to his office. He went inside and found where Newkirk, Kinch and LeBeau had been hiding out. "What's up Carter?"

"They're here; Burkhalter and his friend just went inside."

Hogan plugged in the coffee pot, which had been sitting on the table ready to go. The red light glowed and the voices inside Klink's office came through the speaker clearly.

"_Klink. This is __Herr__ Hans __Schneider__. He is in charge of __the factory at Dusseldorf._" Burkhalter sounded annoyed. He always did when he came to this particular stalag.

"_Nice to meet you Herr Schneider. Dusseldorf is a __long__ distance from Stalag 13, might I ask why you chose to come here?_"

"_Klink! if__ you shut up and sit down I will explain why he has come."_ Burkhalter cut in.

"_'S__hut up' __yes__ sir."_

_"He is here because of the __documents he is carrying. They are top secret and cannot fall into enemy hands. Have the locks on your safe been change recently?"_

_"Yes sir, I had them changed just the other day. What has that got to do with anything?"_

_"You will be keeping these papers in your safe until myself and Herr Schneider __leave__. These papers have come straight from Berlin and are for Herr Schneider's eye only. Even I do not know what they are.__ If anything goes wrong Klink, or if they are lost before I return, __you__ will be wishing you had more time to pack."_ Hogan unplugged the coffee, cutting off the rest of the conversation with Klink.

"Blimey." Newkirk said. "Whatever that Schneider 'as with him must be important. Rather silly leavin' it with Klink." Newkirk pulled out a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

"You think you can get into his safe?" Hogan asked, instantly knowing he didn't have to.

"I'm offended." Newkirk tried to look hurt by the question. "I can get into anything; you should know that by now Guv'nor."

"Sorry old boy. I forgot for a second there." Hogan put his arm around him and led them all out into the other room. "I'll distract Klink while you climb in through the window and grab those files. It shouldn't be hard to get Klink out of his office."

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Hogan followed Klink out of his office and led him over to Klink's living quarters where LeBeau had already started on the appetizers for the dinner that night. As they walked out of view, Newkirk opened the window and climbed into Klink's office. He needed to get into that safe as quickly as possible. Kinch was waiting down in the tunnels for the photographs of the files.

Kneeling down beside the safe in the corner, Newkirk slowly turned the dial, listening as hard as he could to the tumblers. He soon found that the combination was 47, 12, 5 and 20. When the last part of the combination clicked into place he pulled the handle and the door swung open with ease. // _Still got it. _// He thought to himself as he rummaged through the safe, trying to find the files. When he found them, he opened them and laid them on the desk under the lamp. He took out a small camera and started taking pictures of every piece of paper in the folder.

He finished taking the pictures and switched off the light. He replaced the folder in the safe as though it had never been moved, shut the door and turned the dial once more so no one would realise it had been opened and left the office the same way he had come in. As he closed the window he heard Hogan arguing with Klink, which meant that he had just made it out of the room in time.

He walked back to barracks two and found that Carter was already down in the tunnels. Carter had finished setting up the dark room which had had to be restored because of a collapse in that section of the tunnel a couple months ago. That had worked out to be an advantage, even though they had to work twice as hard at clearing the rubble. They had managed to enlarge the dark room which gave them more room to work while developing the photo's they took.

"Here you go mate." He handed Carter the camera.

"Any trouble getting into the safe?" Kinch asked.

"None at all. In fact I reckon it's getting easier to get in to it. It's the timing and getting caught part that's worryin'."

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"I just thought you might like to know what LeBeau was making tonight for dinner. He is going through all the trouble of making it just because you asked him to." Hogan stood in front of the door, blocking the way inside the office.

"I know what the dinner is Hogan, Now get out of my way. I am very busy and I don't have time for your games." Klink pushed past Hogan and hung his coat up on the hook.

Hogan almost ran into the room after him, hoping Newkirk had had enough time to get out. He had raised his voice outside the office to let Newkirk know that they were coming in so he could get out as fast as he could. Hogan now looked around the room and out of the corner of his eye; he saw Newkirk silently close the window. He relaxed instantly; Newkirk had managed to get the papers and was heading back to Carter with the negatives now.

He was going to continue the argument with Klink but was interrupted by Burkhalter and Schneider coming into the room. Apparently Burkhalter had been showing the camp to his guest and had only just finished the tour.

"Oh I'm sorry colonel. I didn't realise you had company." Hogan said when Burkhalter noticed him in the room. "Afternoon general. He greeted him lightly.

"Hogan, what are you doing here?"

"Just discussing the menu for tonight's dinner sir. Who's your friend?"

"That is none of your..."

"Hans Schneider. And who would you be?" Schneider cut across Burkhalter and spoke directly to Hogan."

"Colonel Robert Hogan. I'm the senior POW officer here."

"Hogan get out." Klink said.

"No please, stay. I have never met an American officer before. Colonel Hogan considering you are letting one of your own men cook the dinner for us tonight, perhaps with the commandants permission, you would like to join us tonight."

"Herr Schneider, I'm not sure that is a good idea." Klink was really worried now, Hogan had always managed to get himself invited to dinner when he was least wanted.

"Nonsense. I'm sure it will be interesting to have Hogan with us."

"In that case, Hogan you will join us for dinner. Tonight at 8:00." Klink gave in. // _W__hy does this always happen to me?_ //

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"Carter, I need you to help LeBeau in the kitchen tonight." Hogan came through the door and looked around for Carter.

"Can do sir." Carter said climbing out of the tunnel entrance and closing it again.

"Just make sure the wine glasses are always filled and clear the plates when everyone is finished." LeBeau told him.

"Where's Kinch?" Hogan asked, noticing for the first time that his radio expert was not in the barracks.

"Just finishing up with the photos colonel." Carter said. "They came out pretty good, considering."

"Hopefully there's something on them that we can use to get into the factory, or at least close enough the blow it up." Even before he managed to finish the sentence the trap door opened and Kinch climbed out, handing Hogan a long strip of wood with photographs hanging from them.

"Hey, Great job fellas." Hogan looked at the photos. They showed personnel files, records of everything that was developed and sent out of the factory, security records and just about everything they would need to do the job." What's this?"

"That's what interested me the most." Kinch said referring to the last picture. It was a letter of some description, handwritten and barely readable. Hogan walked into his room and searched for a magnifying glass. Holding it up to the picture he just made out the writing, the only problem was that it was in French and he was not able to make it out.

"Can you read that LeBeau, it's in French?" Hogan handed both the photo and the magnifying glass to LeBeau.

"Only just _mon colonel_." LeBeau said after looking closely at it. "It says:

_Colonel Hogan,_

_I do not know if this will find a way into your hands__ but I must take the risk in leaving this __in __amongst __my __files__ I am writing this before I arrive at your Stalag. If you have been introduced to me before you read thi__s__you will know me by the name of Hans Schneider. My real name is __Luke __La Conte__I believe you met my cousin the__ other night.__ I must as__ if__ there is any chance that__ you would be able to arrange a time during my__ visit, however short,__ that I could speak to you alone. It is important.__I hope to speak to you soon and explain why I have written this letter._

_A friend in secret.__"_

The room was silent when LeBeau finished translating the letter. It was one thing to be contacted by radio or coded message through the underground but this was a first. Hogan was the first to gather his thoughts and turned to Kinch.

"Kinch, get on the radio to London. See what you can find out about him, I want to know what his deal is and why he needs to speak to me."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine._

_**Chapter 6:**_

Klink, Burkhalter, Schneider and Hogan were sitting around the table in Klink's personal quarters. They had finished dinner and had just started a game of poker. Schneider had been asking Hogan a lot of questions throughout the night and it was beginning to become annoying. Carter had been the waiter for the evening and was pouring the last of the wine into Klink's glass. He made to fill Hogan's glass next and the bottle slipped out of his hands.

"Carter." Hogan said angrily as he bent down to help clean up the mess. "Do you have to be so clumsy all the time? I'm sorry sir, we'll have this cleaned up in no time" He added glancing up at Klink.

"I' m sorry sir, it didn't mean it." Carter said as he picked up the broken pieces of glass.

"It does not matter Klink." Burkhalter stood up and headed for the door to the cellar where he knew Klink kept his best wine. "Come Klink, We will choose another bottle, I'm sure you still have something left."

"Yes sir. Hogan I want this mess cleaned up by the time we get back."

Klink left the room and followed his commanding officer to the cellar. When the door closed behind both of them, Hogan stopped pretending to clean the mess and turned to face Schneider. Carter finished clearing the smashed bottle and went into the kitchen to help LeBeau with keeping Schultz occupied. "Good timing Carter" Hogan called as he watched the door close.

"I thought they'd never leave." Hogan said.

"I assume you read my letter. I thought it would be the best way to get your attention without them noticing." Schneider's accent changed into French.

"You're lucky I came at all." Hogan sighed. "London told us who you really were about 10 minutes before I came tonight. What's so important that you couldn't get a message to me through the underground? And by the way, since when do the French have German names?" He added as an afterthought.

"My father was German and my mother is French. I kept her name because my father wanted to us safe when he defected and moved to France a long time ago." He explained quickly, wanting to get on with why he was there. "As Christine has already told you; I work in the factory you are trying to sabotage. I don't know what you have planned but it will be too dangerous. The security has been double in and around the area, no one is allowed near the place without orders and top security clearance. They have even started to check identity paper more frequently, especially at the front gates."

"That's just great. That throws out my first idea." Hogan had been planning to use demolition packs which Carter was working on to start a chain reaction which would blow the entire factory without much effort.

"In those files you saw are the names of the top people working there, the latest instructions for security and some other information you may need. There is not much more I can do for you, doing this much was risking just about everything."

"We'll do the best we can." Hogan said as the door opened and Burkhalter led the way back into the room with a bottle of wine and Klink following behind him, looking sour.

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"Kinch what happened to the map of Dusseldorf that we used the other week?"

"Should be there somewhere, I was just going though the maps to check if they needed updating." Kinch frowned as he looked through the pile of maps that he was still going though. "Oh sorry colonel. Here it is."

Kinch laid the map out across the table for them to look at. Dusseldorf was a long way from camp and would take far too long for them to get there on foot. They would need a car. Hogan studied the map carefully, looking for any areas that could be an advantage to them.

"Stalag 7." Hogan said thoughtfully. "Maybe we could use that camp in some way."

"What do you mean? We wouldn't be able to do anything with that place."

"Burkhalter said last night at dinner that the reason he didn't go to that camp for dinner was that he didn't like the kraut who was temporarily standing in for the commandant." Kinch looked totally confused by where Hogan was going with this. "He had taken a two week vacation, starting yesterday."

"Okay, but it's not like we can just walk in there and take over the camp."

"You know Kinch, It makes explaining things so much easier when you read my mind like that." Hogan smiled and put his hand on the sergeant's shoulder.

"Come again?" Kinch said.

"If we use Stalag 7 as a sort of cover for this mission, we could pull it off so much easier than if we had to get there and back in the space of a few hours."

"Colonel, no offense intended but; _**are you nuts**_?" Kinch said. "I know we've done some crazy stuff in the past but this is beyond crazy. There's no way in the world we can pull that off. We'd be sitting ducks in Kraut uniforms."

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"Max has just confirmed the meeting colonel." Kinch took off the headphones and switched off the shortwave radio.

Hogan and his men were down in the tunnels making arrangements for the underground agent, Max, to make it safely to Stalag 13 so that he would be able to help them. Max was the local grocer in Hammelberge and would often help by passing on message when the underground couldn't be contacted. The Gestapo had no record of Max that they knew of which would make it just that much easier for them to make this insane assignment work in their favour.

"Okay, LeBeau and Carter go out to meet him tonight and bring him in through the emergency tunnel."

"Right sir." Newkirk said. He pulled out another pack of cigarettes from his pocket and then threw it away after seeing it was empty.

"Kinch we'll need a truck from the motor pool. Think you can handle that?"

"Easy enough. The price is still the same though." Kinch smiled.

"Put it on my next bill to London." Hogan said. He turned towards Carter; His expert demolitions man. "We'll need some explosives, small enough to go unnoticed and powerful enough to cause a chain reaction. How long will that take?"

"A day, maybe two. I'm going to have to make a special kind which is why it'll take longer than usual." Carter frowned. "The only problem is I don't have enough nitro."

"We'll get you more, but in the mean time can you at least make a start?"

"Sure thing." Carter smiled enthusiastically. He had always loved working with explosives and he really didn't know why.

"Newkirk, What have we got in the way of uniforms?"

"Well, step this way and take a look."

Newkirk walked over to the opposite side of the tunnel and pulled back a black curtain. A small wardrobe size section was uncovered. Hanging on a metal rack were German uniforms of nearly every kind and rank; Gestapo, Luftwaffe, Abwer, S.S, Enlisted and Infantry. Newkirk had managed to make a few of the uniforms from old, dyed blankets and curtains that were good for nothing else. The rest they had managed to steal from visiting officers that came into the camp and stayed for a night or more.

"All we need to do is add medals." Newkirk said as he started going through them.

"Let's make it Gestapo, just for a change." Hogan said. "You'll need to get Max's Measurements as well."

"No trouble there Guv'nor. Any particular rank in mind?"

"A general with lots of medals."

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LeBeau led the way through the tunnels, Max following closely behind with Carter. Max was an older man in his late 50's. His hair was a dark gray and he was a foot shorter than Carter was. He was amazed at what he was seeing. This was the first time he had been to their camp and he was having a hard time believing what he was seeing was possible.

He watched as LeBeau hit the wooden post next to the ladder, and then waited for the entrance above him to open. A few, short minutes later the trap door opened and LeBeau climbed up, calling for them to follow as he went. Carter stood back to let Max go up before him and closed the entrance when he was safely off the ladder.

"Hi. Welcome to Stalag13." Hogan help out a hand and Max took it. "Good to see you again. How was the trip?"

"It was nothing I haven't done before." Max said. Looking around the room, he saw other prisoners that he didn't know and a few that he did. Hogan, of cause, he had met before. He had also met Newkirk, Carter and LeBeau many times.

"This is the other member of this outfit; Sergeant James Kinchloe." Hogan said, remembering that Kinch had never met the grocer.

"Hi." Kinch greeted him.

"You're probably wondering what you're doing here?" Hogan pulled out a chair for Max to sit down. "We need to get out of camp for at least 24 hours. We need you to get us out in a way Klink won't think we've escaped."

"How?"

"By being a Gestapo general for a day."

The look on Max's face mirrored the look when Hogan announced the plan to the rest of the group. It was utter disbelief and it was well placed. It was the craziest thing Hogan had ever come up; including the time when they had rescued the underground leaders by convincing the Germans that the war was finally over.

"If a Gestapo general came into camp, demanding to take some prisoners to Gestapo headquarters for questioning, Klink wouldn't have any choice. It would also give us an alibi for being out of camp for a while."

"Watch it, Kraut coming this way." Carter called over his shoulder as he watched Schultz walked towards the barracks with another guard.

Kinch opened the trap door and LeBeau helped Max onto the ladder. Once he was safely off the ladder Kinch hit the frame again and the bottom bunk lowered back into place. Hogan grabbed a deck of card which had been abandon the night before and started to deal for Newkirk and himself. Carter sat down on his own bunk and picked up an old letter which he had read and re read maybe a dozen times before. LeBeau turned towards the door just as it opened and Schultz walked inside.

"Hey Schultz. What brings you to this corner of the world?"

"I can't stop by to have a friendly chat?" Schultz said as he took off his helmet and put it on the table.

"More like a friendly meal of apple strudel or potato pancakes." LeBeau grumbled.

"That's not very nice. Burkhalter and his friend just left camp. Finally I can relax again."

"It couldn't 'ave been that bad Schultzie." Newkirk tossed down a card and pick up another one. "We didn't notice anythin' different."

"You didn't have to do extra guard duty."

"Alright Schultz." Kinch said. "How about getting some sleep then. Aren't you tired after all that work?"

"_Ja_ I am. That's a good idea." He yawned as he said good night and left the barracks with his helmet in his hand.

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An R.A.F plane flew over an open field and signalled with the lights. Two flashes, pause, three flashes, another pause and then two more flashes. They received an answer, signalled from the edge of the field and dropped the parcel out of the plane, heading back towards England immediately after the drop. The box of hit the ground with a soft thud, the parachute attached to it landed over the top.

"Let's go." LeBeau whispered to Newkirk as they watched the box land. They ran out and grabbed the box. Carefully opening the lid, they saw two small containers. Both were marked with the words 'Handle with care' in red. To both LeBeau and Newkirk, this was the biggest understatement; the containers held nitro-glycerine. After checking that they were still alone and they had hidden the parachute so that it wouldn't be found by any passing patrols, they headed back to camp as fast as they could go, while being exceptionally carefully with what they were carrying.

They reached the front gates and quietly opened the entrance to the tunnel. Newkirk climbed down first while LeBeau stayed out of sight; once he was half way down the ladder he carefully took the nitro off LeBeau and carefully climbed down the ladder into the tunnel. They left the box in Carter's '_chemistry lab_' where they found Carter working on the demolition packs. While Carter continued to make the explosives, Newkirk and LeBeau went upstairs to let everyone else know they had got back safely. The last time they had not come back up in the barracks straight after they returned to camp, Hogan had really been angry with them.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine._

_**Chapter 7:**_

"Come on colonel." Hogan argued for Klink for what felt like the tenth time that day. It was late afternoon and although the Red Cross packages had been delivered and handed out to the prisoners, there were at least a dozen packages missing. "What could possibly be hidden in small Red Cross packages? The men are waiting for them and I promised I would get them back."

"It's not my fault you made that promise Hogan. You will get them back as soon as we have decided there is nothing that can be used in an effort to escape. Diss-missed." Klink turned his back on Hogan and went back to his desk and the recent documents Hilda had given him.

"Fine, but I hope you realise that..." Hogan stopped as the door to the office opened and Hilda walked inside. She smiled a Hogan and turned her attention to Klink.

"Yes, what is it Fraulein Hilda?"

"General Johan Schmidt is here to see you commandant." Hilda answered as a Gestapo officer walked into the room. Hogan immediately knew that it was Max in disguise, but he completely fooled Klink. // _Although_.// Hogan thought. // _That's__ not hard to do_. //

"Colonel Klink?" Max said, completely ignoring everyone else in the room.

"Yes general." Klink said as he came to attention at the sight of the general, not to mention the Gestapo uniform he wore. "How can I help you sir?"

"I am here on a very important assignment Klink." Max walked around the office, looking around the room. "I have been ordered by my superiors in Berlin to question prisoners in this area. There has been much too much sabotage in the Hammelberge area. These are my orders." Max took out papers that had been drawn up three days before, by Kinch.

"Just who do you plan on questioning?" Hogan asked. "There has never been an escape from Stalag 13. Right colonel Klink?"

"Ja ja." Klink was distracted as read the orders.

"Who are you?"

"Colonel Hogan, senior POW officer here." Hogan said as Max finally turned to face him.

"I was thinking of starting with you and your men." Max said turning his back on Hogan once more. "I suggest you warn your men colonel."

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Hogan opened the door to his office and found Kinch, LeBeau and Newkirk listening in on what was going on in Klink's office. He shook his head and closed the door as Kinch pulled the plug out and put everything away.

"Good job on those papers and the uniform guys. They can fool anyone. Where's Carter?"

"Down in the tunnel working on the last of the explosives. He should be done any minute."

"Good. Now they should come in here looking for us within an hour. Play it safe and watch the over acting. We can't afford any mistakes on this one."

"Hi colonel." Carter said as he opened the door and saw Hogan talking to the others. "Everything is set. All we'll need to do is set the timer and an hour later...well you'll see what happens." Carter grinned.

Hogan pulled out one of his maps and spread it out on the table for all to see. They spent the next half an hour going over the plan one final time. They had a lot riding on the success of this mission; it would delay the Germans war effort by at least six months maybe even more if they're lucky. They only stopped when they heard the door of the barracks open and Schultz calling out for attention. Quickly hiding the map, the five of them walked out into the main room only to find Schultz, Klink and Max inspecting the other men in the barracks.

"Sir, maybe you would like to try another barrack." Klink said before they came across Hogan.

"Ah Colonel Hogan. Tell me, who do you think I should choose? You know these men better than anyone. Besides yourself of cause." Max ignored Klink's suggestion.

"How about your own men? They might know more than any of these guys."

"I don't think so colonel. I suggest you choose, because if you don't I will."

"Forget it."

Newkirk shifted on the spot, looking uncomfortable. This didn't go unnoticed and a smile appeared on the general's face. Hogan moved in front of Newkirk as though he was trying to draw attention back to himself.

"It seems you have something to hide corporal."

"You leave him out of this general he has nothing to do with it." LeBeau and Carter slowly tried to back away and back into the other room.

After even more protests by Hogan, the four of them were led out of the room and into the back of the truck, Kinch had borrowed from the motor pool. Kinch stayed behind to manage things in the camp and make sure everything was going alright on his end.

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The driver max had brought with him pulled the truck over on one of the roads that lead off the main road. It was an old road and was barely ever used. Once the truck stopped completely, max got out and opened the back of the truck so that he could get in with Hogan and his men. The driver joined them after he had checked the road behind them. He was a young man in his mid 30's by the looks of him. He was wearing a corporal's uniform and he smiled at them as he climbed in the back.

"Colonel Hogan, this is my nephew Carl."

Hogan shook hands with Carl and introduced the rest of his team. He explained what they were planning to do and how they were going to do it. Carl was more than willing to help but because of how tricky the plan was, there was not much he could do. The less people involved; the less chance of something going wrong or being caught.

"How do we get into Stalag 7 colonel?" Carter asked.

"Kinch drew up some orders stating that there will be a new commandant of the camp for the next week. Newkirk have you got the uniforms?"

Newkirk opened a footlocker and pulled out four Luftwaffe uniforms. One was a major's uniform which was for Hogan and the other three were sergeant's uniforms."These should do the trick colonel. I finished 'em just last night."

"Hey, these are great." Hogan was impressed. "Okay, How far is it to the camp from here?"

"Two hours, maybe a little less, if we don't have to go through any check points along the way."

"Let's go along the back roads, just in case. It may take a little longer but we're less likely to run into trouble."

Carl got out of the truck with his uncle and they both got in the front of the truck. Seconds later the engine started and they continued along the back roads until they were only an hour outside of the stalag they were temporarily taking over. As they got closer, Hogan started putting on the uniform and getting ready. Newkirk passed out the other uniforms and started changing into his sergeants' uniform.

// _Robert what the hell are you doing? _// Hogan though pulling on his gloves. // _Turn around now and find another way...There isn't time, we're here now and this is the only way we can even get close to that factory. _// He argued with himself, just as he had done ever since this plan came to him. It was more dangerous than almost anything they had previously done and he was extremely nervous.

"You alright Guv'nor?" Newkirk asked when he saw the worried look on Hogan face.

"Yeah I'm fine. Why?" Hogan smiled in an effort not to show his nerves. It was one thing to be nervous, but when you're the one in charge of the mission, you can't afford to show it.

"No reason. Just thought you looked worried that's all. More than usual I mean."

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The truck stopped at the gates of stalag 7. A guard approached and asked for their papers. He read the orders and quickly opened the gates, allowing the truck to enter the camp. They drove up to the main building and were greeted by the commandant; colonel Manheim. They introduced themselves and then Max and Hogan were led into his office, while the others stayed out by the truck. From across the other side of the camp, a group of POWs watched them go inside.

"What can I do for you general?"

"As you are aware of my orders I will not go into a lot of boring details Colonel. Major Muller has been ordered to take over the camp for a week. It is part of his new training, as he has recently joined the Luftwaffe on temporary assignment. Unfortunately this assignment is top secret and can be revealed to no-one."

"I understand Herr General."

"Good." Max pulled off his gloves and turned to Hogan. "You will take over this camp immediately. If you continue as you have been so far, you will have no trouble this running this camp."

"_Jaw__oh__l__G__eneral._" Hogan said with a German accent, hoping that it was good enough to fool him.

"Colonel, I'm sure you would like to spend the week as a vacation. Please take the time off and enjoy yourself. This does not come around every day after all."

"That is very kind of you sir but..."

"Do not worry about your camp colonel." Hogan interrupted. He used his best German accent, hoping it would be enough. "It will be in good hands and I assure you, it will be in perfect order when you return."

"Very well. If you'll excuse me; I have some packing to do." Manheim left the room, leaving them alone. So far everything had gone smoothly, but they were not about to get over confident.

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An hour later they stood outside in the compound. The prisoners had fallen out for roll call and the sergeant of the guard was walking up and down the formation, making sure no one was missing. He reported that all were present and stood to the side.

"For the next week, I will be on leave." Hogan watched as the commandant spoke to the prisoners. There was applause and cheering at the news and Hogan tried to keep the smile from appearing. "Silence! Major Muller will be replacing me temporarily and I must warn you that any foolishness on your part will not be overlooked." He turned his back on the prisoners and walked over to Hogan.

"Well major. They are your responsibility now. Good luck."

"_Danke_ sir. I will do the best I can." Hogan saluted him and watched him leave in the staff car.

The prisoners went back into the barracks and went about their own business. Hogan and his men followed Max back into the office and LeBeau closed the window. Newkirk checked the office to make sure there were no hidden microphones. When they were sure they could not be overheard Hogan dropped his German accent.

"Max you better clear out for a while. The less you know about this, the safer you'll be."

"Be careful colonel. I will see you in a few days." Max headed out the door and they heard the trucks engine start.

"Colonel." LeBeau said as he picked up a file that was on top of the desk and skimmed through. "According to this, there are two prisoners in the cooler for attempting to escape. One of them is the senior officer; lt. Colonel Thomas Parks and the other is Corporal Edward Addams."

"We can't let them out just yet LeBeau." Hogan said, knowing what he meant. "We'll have to wait til the morning. Newkirk, get in touch with Kinch on the walkie talkie we brought with us. Tell him to get in contact with Max later tonight, just to make sure he's safe."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine._

_**Chapter 8:**_

Hogan woke early the next morning to the sound of LeBeau making breakfast for the four of them. One of the ways Hogan had managed to convince LeBeau to go along with the mission was that they would not be eating what the other guards were having. LeBeau's cooking was normally really good anyway, so it was no real problem.

"Morning _mon colonel_." LeBeau called over his shoulder as the door to the bedroom opened and Hogan walked out.

"Morning." Hogan pulled on his jacket and looked around. "Where's Newkirk and Carter?"

"Outside checking on security and bossing the guards around." LeBeau laughed as he served eggs, sausages and toast for both of them. That was all there was in the small kitchen in Manheim's privet quarters. Hogan and LeBeau were both wearing Luftwaffe uniforms that they had worn yesterday. They had just sat down at the table when Newkirk came rushing into the room, slightly out of breathe.

"Morning Guv'nor." He said, closing the door behind him. "I was just talkin' to one of the barracks guard and he was askin' 'bout morning roll call."

"What about it? We still have another 20 minutes until it 6:00am."

"I know sir, but what Manheim didn't mention was that roll call is half an hour earlier, and 'as been for the past two weeks. Carter is outside waiting for us."

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Hogan and Newkirk were in the office waiting for LeBeau to bring the two men from the cooler in to see them. Newkirk was looking uncomfortable and slightly nervous, which was unusual for him. He was always the one that had the more positive outlook on their assignments, even if he acted as though he would like nothing better than to run and hide until the whole thing was over.

"What's wrong Newkirk?" Hogan asked.

"Well." Newkirk hesitated before continuing. "I didn't want to say anything until I knew for sure, but I know Thomas Parks. He was part of my old squad in the RAF. I saw 'im this mornin' when I went to check on the guards in the cooler, it's him."

"Will he recognise you?"

"'Ard to say. It's been about two and a half years since we saw each other." Newkirk said as he looked out of the window and saw LeBeau walking back towards the building.

"Well let's just hope that he doesn't." Hogan said as the door to the office opened and LeBeau walked inside, followed by the two prisoners. Behind them, Hogan caught a glimpse of Carter going through all the camp files and local maps of the area. Newkirk turned his back on the room as the door opened and they walked inside.

"So you're the new commandant?" Parks had a strong American accent and was wearing an American uniform very similar to the one Hogan himself wore. He stood in front of Hogan and ignored everyone else in the room. Corporal Addams was standing by the window; He was wearing an English uniform and was only a foot shorter than Parks.

"And you are the senior officer for the prisoners." Hogan's accent faltered slightly but Parks didn't notice. "I have decided to suspend your stay in the cooler for the time being, but I warn you now that if there are any more attempts to escape while I am here, I will double it. Understood?"

"Fine by me." Parks turned his back on the room and opened the door. "Come on Addams; let's go see how the others are doin'"

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Kinch sat alone down in the radio room, waiting for a message to come over the radio from Hogan. They had agreed that they would check in every 6 hours and it was almost time for their next communication. There had been nothing to do all that night other than worry. They blown up factories, trains, bridges, you name they probably blew it up at one point or another, but this was by far, the hardest way to do a job that they had ever came up with.

"Come in Goldilocks, This is papa bear." Hogan's voice sounded over the short wave radio. Kinch smiled and picked up the headset, looking relieved.

"Go ahead Papa Bear, You're coming through loud and clear." Kinch said into the microphone.

"We made it to the first stop okay. How are things at your end?"

"All quiet hear." Kinch paused as the tunnel entrance opened and Olsen came into view.

"Klink's coming this way, you'd better get up hear Kinch." Olsen said.

"Sorry colonel but our landlord is on the way over, I'll check in 6 hours from now. Over and out." Kinch unplugged the radio and hurried up the ladder as fast as he could.

Kinch closed the entrance behind him and picked up a book that was lying on the table. After only a few moments, the door opened and in came Schultz followed by Klink. He looked around the room, and in Kinch's opinion, Klink looked as though he was half expecting Hogan to walk out of his office. There was an awkward silence in the barracks broken only when Kinch decided to speak up.

"What are you doing here colonel? If it's another bed check, we can save you the trouble and tell you exactly who is missing." Kinch didn't mean to sound so harsh; he was only faking it so that Klink would think they were still angry at him.

"It was not my decision for the General to question them." Klink said. "I had no choice in the matter."

"You could have done something though." Olsen said from his bunk. "You just stood there while they were taken out of here. They're your prisoners' colonel, not the Gestapo's."

Klink looked around the room, deciding not to argue with them, he walked back out the door and left Schultz to deal with them while he figured out what to do about the Gestapo. The door shut behind him with a loud snap. Everyone went on with what they were doing and Schultz just stood there. After seeing that he was just being ignored by everyone in the barracks, he sighed and left the room to start his guard duty by the front gates.

"What did Colonel Hogan say?" Forster asked.

"Not much, but at least they made it there in one piece. They'll check in another six hours if they get a chance."

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Carter walked back into stalag 7 through the front gates and headed back to find Hogan, Newkirk and LeBeau. He had been checking out the factory, looking for any weak spots that would be the most effective places to plant the explosives. He had set out just after dark and had been gone for around three hours. He walked past the guards outside the commandants' office and went inside.

"Hey LeBeau." He shut the door behind him as he looked around to find LeBeau and Newkirk going over a map of the area they had brought with them. He took off the coat he had been wearing and threw it over one of the chair. "Where's the colonel?"

"He should be back any minute; he went to get something from Manheim's desk." LeBeau said without looking up. "What did you find out?"

"Well for one thing, all the new security measures are worse than we thought."

Carter had only just started recounting everything he had seen that night when Hogan walked into the room. He told them about the security at the gate, inside and outside the factory, everything he could think of that would be important. The map laid out before him was helpful, he was able to show them roughly where all the guards were posted and the best way to get there and back without being seen. "It's going to be tough getting in close enough but we should be okay once we get in. They relax security slightly inside but it's still risky." He finished an hour later after he had gone through everything in detail.

"Okay, we'll see how we go for Wednesday night around 11:30." Hogan said rolling up the map and putting it away where no one else could find it. "We'll need to draw off some of those patrols for as long as we can. The only question is: How?"

"I got a suggestion Guv'nor." Newkirk spoke for the first time since Carter had started explaining what he saw. Maybe we could get one or two of the prisoners here to help us with that part?"

"What do have in mind?"

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LeBeau knocked on the door of Parks' room in the barracks and entered without waiting for a response from within. He knew that regular guards didn't usually knock before opening the door and he figured that, with most of the POWs watching him, he figured it would be best just to walk inside. Closing the door behind him, he saw that Parks was sitting at the small table writing a letter which he hastily stuffed out of sight when LeBeau walked in.

"The commandant wants to see you in his office colonel." LeBeau said.

"Is there a problem?" Parks stood up but made no indication of going anywhere.

"Not that I know of, he just needs to see you. He does not tell me everything so you will just have to find out what he wants when you see him."

LeBeau led the way out of the barracks and across the camp. Parks kept looking at him suspiciously, as though he knew something wasn't right with what was happening. LeBeau opened the door and stood aside for Parks to walk inside and shut the door behind the both of them. Inside, Carter was going through the filing cabinet, He looked up as the door shut.

"Wait here." LeBeau said as he walked past them and into the office, closing the door behind him with a snap.

Parks sat down on one of the chairs by the door. He watched Carter for minute and then decided to walk around the room. He was the senior officer for the prisoner in Stalag 7 and had been called into Manheim's office so many times that he had lost count. He knew the limits with the usual commandant and the guards but Mueller was new and he needed to know how far they could push their luck before getting into serious trouble. The door opened once more, interrupting his thoughts. A guard called out to him and he went inside and stood in front of the desk piled high with files and reports.

"Please sit down." Hogan indicated the chair in front of the desk. Parks just stood where he was. "Alright, don't sit down then. Would you like something to drink?" Hogan offered him a glass of wine, trying to get him to relax slightly.

"No thanks. Is there something wrong?" Parks frowned slightly.

He had never been treated like this by any German before now and he was suddenly very suspicious. First being let out of solitary early and now being offered wine by the commandant. Something wasn't right and he was going to find out what.

"That depends." Hogan said slowly. "We need your help."

"Sorry, I don't think I'm going to be able to help you. We're supposed to be enemies you know."

"We aren't who you think we are." Hogan dropped his German accent as he spoke "My real name is Colonel Robert Hogan and we are on the same side."

It was a few minutes before anyone spoke. Parks stared at him for a minute, then started laughing. He had heard some great lines to trick him into giving away information before now but this had to be the best there he had ever heard. "Come on Major, do you really expect me to believe you're an American officer? Nice try and I like your accent but you have to do better than that."

"It's not a joke and I couldn't care less what information you have." Hogan said. "What if I can convince you who I am?"

"Then I might consider believing you but until you prove it, forget it." Parks sat down on the chair and crossed his arms, waiting for the proof.

Hogan sighed and cross the room. He whispered something to one of the guards who nodded and hurried outside. After a moment they heard the door leading outside slam shut, Hogan looked over at Newkirk and he left the room as well. Leaving only Newkirk and Parks in the room. "Some proof."

"That's not the proof mate." Newkirk spoke for the first time since Parks entered the room. He wasn't using his German accent, however parks didn't pick up on it straight way.

"Really? What is it then?"

"Me." Newkirk stood in front of him and took his hat off. Park looked up at him and almost knocked the chair over as he stood up again. How's it going colonel?" Newkirk grinned.

"Newkirk? What the hell are you doing here?" Parks said. He looked at him and realised that he was in a Luftwaffe uniform and suddenly backed up away from him. "I don't believe it. You've actually sold out? I never would have thought it was possible with you."

"I haven't sold out. I'm here on a bloody assignment. This is what I do now. If you would just relax for a minute, I'll explain."

"What makes you think that anything you could say will make me think otherwise? You're wearing a Gestapo uniform for crying out loud."

"In all the time we've been mates, 'ow many times 'ave I given you reason to doubt me?"

Parks didn't answer. Instead he sat back down and waited for an explanation, wanting there to be a different reason for him to be in that uniform. Newkirk told him the essentials of what he did with Hogan and the others back at stalag 13 and what they were here to do now. It wasn't everything, but it was just enough for Newkirk to convince him to help them out.

"So that really was Colonel Hogan?" Parks shook his head trying to take it all in. "Damn it. Maybe I shouldn't have said what I did." He laughed as he saw the funny side of everything.

Hogan knocked on the door and came in with Carter and LeBeau following. He introduced them properly and they all sat around working on a plan to distract some of the patrols around the factory. After an hour they had finally come up with a good enough plan, which would help them successfully destroy the factory. It would also mean an escape for everyone involved from stalag 7. They would not be able to go back to the camp as they would be more than likely be questioned by the Gestapo to see if anyone there was involved if it was linked back to the camp.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine._

_**Chapter 9:**_

"Everything is set colonel." Carter loaded the last lot of explosives into the car. "We've got enough to blow that factory all the way to Berlin."

"We'll send them the next factory; right now they have enough of them to deal with."

"Colonel, I just got off the radio to Kinch." LeBeau came round the corner of the motor pool and hurried towards them. "Olsen and Forster will be ready to get some of the guys back to Stalag 13 and he's organised some of the underground members to handle the rest so they can make it safely back to London."

"Great." Hogan sighed. "Sounds like everything is going perfectly so far...so why do I have a nagging feeling that something will go wrong any second?"

"Maybe because everything has gone so well and there haven't been any real problems so far?" Carter said. They all looked at him; he always had a way of making something seem worse than it was.

"You really do 'ave a positive outlook on everything don't you?" Newkirk said sarcastically shaking his head.

They headed back to their quarters where they could talk more freely. They were half way across the compound when Parks came running over to them looking worried. Other men were watching him as he past but quickly lost interest as he came to a stop before them. He was covered from head to toe in dirt.

"Sir...We need your help." He was trying to get his breathing under control and speak at the same time, which was very hard to do.

"What happened?" Hogan spoke quietly, not wanting to be over heard by anyone passing by.

"We were attempting to finish the last part of the tunnel we dug a few months ago. The support beams we had in place should have been enough to hold but...They didn't. Addams didn't make it out before they collapsed. He's alive but we think he's hurt."

"Sergeant." Hogan turned to Carter, switching back to his German accent even though no one seemed to be listening in. "Go get some shovels, we'll need to get him out as fast as we can." Carter took off immediately. "Show us where."

Parks led the way to barracks 4. Once the door had closed, push pushed the stove aside to reveal the tunnels entrance. Parks climbed down into the tunnel, followed by Hogan and Newkirk. LeBeau stayed behind so Carter would know where they were. It was a fair sized tunnel and looked to be in pretty good condition. It was only just big enough for the average person could stand upright, but that was all they needed for a tunnel. Parks grabbed a lantern from the table and led the way through the tunnel almost at a run. Within minutes they came to a mound of dirt and rocks filling the tunnel with only a small gap at the very top.

Hogan climbed the mound as best he could, and looked through to see if he could see anything on the other side. He could just make out Addams under what looked like a support beams that had been used for the ceiling. He could see that although the tunnel around him had entirely collapsed, the area around him was relatively clear and they would be able to move him out of the without too much hassle.

"Addams? Can you hear me?" Hogan called. "Don't try to move, we'll get you out soon."

"Take your time. Everything's okay here." Addams voice came through the gap. "Just a few cuts and bruises."

Carter and LeBeau appeared by their side and passed out the shovels they had brought. Slowly, they started digging. LeBeau had grabbed some large water buckets and had lined up as many prisoners from barracks 4 as he could. Once the buckets were full, they passed them along the line and back again once they were emptied. It took them an hour to create a hole big enough for them to crawl through and reach Addams.

Newkirk slid down the mound and lifted the beam off him. Parks came up behind him and without saying anything; they each grabbed one of Addams' arms and pulled him into a sitting position against the nearest wall. He tried to suppress a groan but was unsuccessful.

"I told you not dig any further until we had more beams to support the weight." Parks said in a way that was clearly saying I told you so. He smiled, no matter how bad the situation was, he knew that his friend would be okay and that it had not been worse.

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"How's he doing?" Hogan, LeBeau, Cater, Newkirk and Parks were all in the commandants' quarters and were getting ready to leave the camp and attempt to blow the factory a short distance away.

"He's doing okay. His leg isn't broken, it's just extremely sore at the moment. He can still make it to Stalag 13 if I help him." Parks, Addams and the other men from barracks 4 were all going straight to stalag 13. They would be the ones with the most to lose if anything went wrong.

"Good. Max will be here in exactly 2 hours. We have to be ready to move as soon as he's here. The quicker we move the better it will be."

"Right. My guys are already working on the diversion for the guards on the other side of the camp. They just need the signal and they'll start."

"Newkirk, get in touch with Kinch. He'll need to stand by, so these guys get there safely."

"Right sir."

Parks headed back to the camp's hospital to check on Addams and left Hogan and the others to organise themselves. Max was arriving in just under two hours. They still had some work to do, before they left.

Newkirk came back into the room around 10 minutes later. "Everything is set Guv'nor. Olsen and Forster will be in the woods in just over 2 hours. Schultz is on guard duty outside the fence again tonight so they wouldn't have any trouble getting in and out."

"Okay. Carter, let's go over this just one more time." Hogan opened a draw and pulled out a map, with the factory circled in red pen. "Give us everything you have on this. Especially the best place to cause a massive chain reaction." Over the next hour and a half, they went over everything for what seemed like the 100th time that week.

There was a knock on the door and Hogan went to open it. Max was standing in the doorway; He was wearing the same black Gestapo uniform and hat. The only difference this time was that the gun he had in the holster attached to his belt was loaded. When they had arrived at stalag 7, although had the same gun on him, it was not loaded. He walked inside and Hogan shut the door behind him, quickly looking outside as he did.

"Any trouble getting here?"

"None at all colonel. Security has been tightened of cause, but there is nothing out of the normal as far as I could see."

"Okay then. LeBeau, go tell Parks that it's time to go." Hogan gathered up everything they needed and then got rid of anything they would not need after tonight. When Parks arrived and told them that his men were waiting down in the tunnel, they all left the building and headed for the truck.

"_I have some business to attend to sergeant. Until I return, you are in charge. Understand?_" Hogan spoke to the guard outside the building. Silently thinking that he needed to improve on his German when he had the chance.

"_Jawohl __H__er__r M__ajor._" The guard came to attention and saluted as he walked past.

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"The break out from stalag 7 must have been discovered." Carter said as they pulled up in an old side street only a hundred metres from where the factory was located. "We haven't past a single patrol yet."

"Let's hope it stays that way." Hogan said as he checked his gun. "Kinch has done a great job on the orders we have but if it's all the same, I'd rather not use them."

They jumped out of the back and LeBeau passed the bags full of explosives out to them before jumping down himself. Slowly and quietly they made their way towards the wires surrounding the area. Hogan looked through his binoculars and saw that the security was still heavy inside the gates. Without saying a word, he signalled to the others to follow him around the side where it was darkest and the lights could not reach.

Newkirk and LeBeau pulled out hand grenades and after pulling the pins out, threw them as far as they could. They exploded near an oil tank which cause and even bigger explosion. They continued to throw them while Hogan and Carter cut through the barbed wire and moved towards the main ammunitions storage building and planted two sets of explosives and set the timers to 22 hundred hours. It gave them an hour and a half to get as far away as possible.

Confusion and panic rained on those inside the factory, most of the guards started searching for the cause while the factory workers hurried to put out the fires which were proving to become more and more fierce by the minute and it set off more ammunition, fuel and whatever else was in that factory. Hogan and his men finished their work and ran back to the truck where Max and his son were waiting for them, the truck already running.

"Let's get out of here." Hogan called as he closed the door of the truck. Before he had finished the sentence, they had started moving away from the area. "Nice work. Carter that was some of the best you've come up with."

"Colonel. We got trouble coming up behind us." Newkirk had been looking out the back of the truck when he called over his shoulder. "Gestapo's following us."

"What?" Hogan looked outside and found a Gestapo truck and staff car following them. "Max we have company, see if you can lose them somehow." Hogan pulled his gun out and released the safety switch. The others already doing the same thing.

"Any ideas colonel."

"Yeah, don't miss if you have to shoot. Aim for the tires on the car first that may slow them down a bit." Hogan smashed the glass window they had been looking through. He fired at the front tire and missed by inches. Newkirk managed to shoot the back tire as they turned the corner and the car swerved off the road. The truck had the same idea that Hogan had, but unfortunately they had a much better aim and a lot more ammo to go with it.

Hogan and his men were flung backwards as several bullets pierced the two back tires and Max struggled to keep control. The truck swerved too far to one side and tipped onto its side. They were thrown all over as the truck slide towards the trees lining that stretch of road. The truck hit the trees and stopped as the Gestapo truck that had been following pulled up just metres from them. It was only when they heard soldiers getting off the truck and coming towards them did they move or say anything.

"You guys okay?" Hogan asked as he lifted his head and looked at them. He saw they had a few cuts on their faces and their uniforms were torn in places but other than that they seemed okay.

"Out of the truck!" They heard one of the soldiers call before any answers came. "Now!"

Hogan got out first as he was the closet to the doors of the truck. He pushed opened the door and help the others out, making sure they were okay for the time being. When Carter had climbed out Hogan turned around and moved in front of the others. He couldn't see any way out of the situation. He just hoped that Kinch would realise something was wrong and get everyone out and back to England as soon as he could. He looked around for Max and Carl but he couldn't see them anywhere. //_ They must have managed to get away just before the truck pulled up beside us. _// Hogan thought.

"Well, it looks like we have found our saboteurs without too much trouble." The man closest to them said with a smirk. He relaxed his movement but kept his gun pointed directly at Hogan. "Colonel Hogan and his men, caught in the act. Not even I thought I would be so lucky."

"Do we know you?" Hogan wanted to keep him talking, maybe, just maybe he could think of something to get out of this. "You don't look familiar to me."

"We met a year ago. I am Major Johan Mueller. I visited Klink when I was in charge of the underground agent Tiger. I swore I would catch whoever it was that helped her escape. I had a feeling you and your men had something to do with it and now I am sure of it."

"Okay, so if what you're saying is in fact true and I am responsible for that." Hogan said slowly. "Then my men have absolutely nothing to do with it. They would have been acting on my orders and wouldn't have had the faintest idea that they were doing anything out of the ordinary."

"Come now Colonel Hogan." Mueller said finally lowering his gun. Mueller's men however kept their guns directed at Hogan and his men, ready to fire at any time. "Do you really expect me to believe you are just any ordinary prisoner? I have read the reports on you and the area around stalag 13. I intend to prove my theories correct."

"Fine. You have me." Hogan sighed. "You have exactly what you want. Papa Bear in person. The only mistake you are making is that my men have no involvement with anything I may have done."

"Colonel..."

"Newkirk." Hogan cut across, looking over his shoulder at him. With one look, he warned him and the rest of the not to say anything. Turning back to face Mueller he continued as though there was no interruption. "Let them go back to camp. They aren't in this. I just made a slight detour on the way to the coast. I was taking helping them get back home."

Carter, who had been standing at the very back of the group, saw a hand grenade that had fallen from the foot locker in the truck. Slowly he backed up towards the truck, not taking his eyes off what was going on in front of him. He managed to reach the grenade and pull the pin without anyone but Newkirk noticing. Hogan kept the focus of Mueller and his men on himself as much as possible. Carter looked around for a place that would cause enough of a distraction as he could and found that the truck was just in reach. // _It may not be enough to get away from the area, but it would give us a chance to get the upper hand._ //

Newkirk nodded to Carter who through the grenade as hard as he could towards the truck. As it left Carters hand Newkirk immediately grabbed Hogan and pulled him onto the ground while Carter took hold of LeBeau. Mueller and his men were thrown forwards by the force of the explosion. Hogan, seeing his only chance while the guards were getting back on their feet, over powered him and grabbed the gun that was lying only inches from his hand. Newkirk, LeBeau and Carter did the same to the other guards. Shots were fired and Hogan looked around to see LeBeau lying on his back holding his shoulder.

Newkirk was the first to LeBeau, making sure that he wasn't hurt worse than it seemed. Carter and Hogan dropped the guns they were holding as the guards that still had their weapons on them, looked as though they were going to shoot them if they made another move. Mueller stood up again and took his own gun back from a corporal that was standing in front of Hogan and smiled slightly.

"I must admit colonel. I did not expect you to be stupid enough to try something that foolish."

"Newkirk? how is he?" Hogan ignored Mueller; he was too concerned about LeBeau and his men.

"He'll live sir. It's just a shoulder wound." Newkirk said as he ripped off the sleeve of LeBeau's jumper and rapped it like a bandage around his shoulder.

"Sorry colonel. It's my fault." Carter said quietly. "I thought we would have had a chance if we had a big enough distraction."

"My guess is that you need more men." Someone called from just ahead of them. Kinch came out from behind the burning truck with his own gun pointed at Mueller. Kinch walked towards them slowly and from behind Carter and Hogan four other men from stalag13 came into view, all with guns that were ready to fire.

"Kinch? What are you doing here?"

"Max sent a message on the emergency frequency. Told us what happened and where you were. I brought some of the guys along for extra back up just in case we needed it. I would drop those if I were you mate." He added. The guards dropped their guns and Hogan picked them all up and handed them to his own men, keeping one for himself.

"We have to get back to camp. LeBeau needs help, he was shot."

"Max is waiting for us with another truck."

"Alright let's go." Hogan helped Newkirk carry LeBeau to the truck then turned to Kinch. "By the way. How did you get out of camp?"

"We got ourselves thrown into the cooler for fighting." Kinch laughed at the look of disbelief on Hogan's face.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Another day another factory.**_

A/N: _I don't own any of the characters that appear in Hogan's heroes. The story and any other characters are mine._

_**C**__**hapter **__**10:**_

Klink came out of his quarters almost at a run, Schultz not too far behind him. The truck pulled up right in front of Klink and Max climbed out of the passengers' seat. Carl went around the back and opened the door so that Hogan and his men were able to climb out. Newkirk helped LeBeau as much as he could. They walked around the front of the truck where Klink stood talking to Max. When he saw the state they were in he had to hide his concern.

"As you can see commandant." Max continued. "We had a little problem on the way back here. There was a flat tire on the truck and when we stopped to fix it, they attempted, unsuccessfully of cause, to escape. The Frenchmen may need medical attention but other than that they should all be fine within a week or two."

"Hogan, when will you learn that it pointless to try and escape? From anywhere?"

"We had to try." Hogan said quietly.

"Thirty days in the cooler for all of you. Maybe that will teach you a lesson. Schultz..."

"Colonel, what about LeBeau, he needs a doctor."

"And he will get one. That still doesn't mean I will suspend the sentence. Schultz, take them to the cooler now."

"I will be seeing you again colonel, but until then, I suggest you do not try anything this foolish again." Hogan smiled slightly as he turned his back on Klink and led the way to the cooler with the rest of his men, Schultz walking beside them. They had got out of some serious trouble because of him and there was nothing he could think of that would make it up to him.

"Herr General, would you like to stay for a while? I was just about to have some lunch. Would you like to join me?"

"Nien. I have a lot to do this afternoon, perhaps some other time commandant. Danke." Max got back into the truck with Carl and they drove out of the camp without another word.

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Kinch climbed back into the cell in the cooler and closed the entrance behind him. He had just been in contact with London and the British sub would be picking up the men from stalag7 in three days time. Just as he sat down again, Schultz opened the door and walked inside.

"Hi Schultz. What's up?"

"Commandant Klink said that you can go now. Colonel Hogan convinced him to let you boys out early." Schultz said, holding the door opened for him. "Please, do not cause any more trouble. The commandant is already having a bad day. If anything else goes wrong he will start taking it out on me and I have three weeks leave coming up."

"Okay Schultz, we'll be good." Kinch walked out of the cell and back up the stairs and out into the grounds, where he found that the others had already been let out. "Hey Olsen. How are our guests doing?"

"Parks and Addams are watching them at the moment. They'll leave at the same time but the underground will have to handle them until the sub can do another pick up."

"What about LeBeau, how's he doing?"

"He's already walking around and everything. He'll be fine in a few weeks, He was damn lucky though."

"Who was lucky?" Hogan came up behind them.

"We were just talking about LeBeau. What are you doing out here, I thought you had thirty days?" Kinch asked before he could stop himself.

"I think that Klink felt sorry for us, so he let us all out on a warning."

"Let me guess." Kinch grabbed a coin from his pocket and using it as a monocle, imitated Klink. "Hogan I have decided to suspend the sentence but any more signs of monkey business and it will be doubled."

"Something like that." Hogan and Olsen laughed as Kinch put his coin back in his pocket and bowed slightly.

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"The sub will pick them up at the usual place colonel." Kinch turned off the radio. "They'll be there at 10:00pm tonight."

"Thanks Kinch." Hogan passed out the last of the food parcels and id papers. The POWs from stalag 7 were going to meet with underground and they would be taken to the sub from there. "Alright, everyone got everything they need? Maps? ID papers? Food parcels?"

"Yes sir." Parks said. "Thanks colonel. You guys are doing a great job. I never thought it was possible if hadn't seen it for myself. Make sure Newkirk doesn't get you into too much trouble."

"He always does." Hogan smiled. "But that doesn't mean we can't get out of it again. Newkirk should already be waiting for you up by the road, he'll take you to the underground and they'll get you to the sub safely. You'll be home before you know it."

"Good Luck colonel." They shook hands and Parks climbed up the ladder and out through the conceal exit. Addams and the rest of his men followed after him. Once they had all left the tunnel, Hogan and Kinch started walking back through the tunnel, making their way back to the barracks.

"Have you seen Carter anywhere?"

"No sir, not since roll call. He's been avoiding everyone since you guys got back to camp. What happened back there colonel?"

"Carter through a grenade at the truck so that we had a chance to get the upper hand. When LeBeau got shot, I think he blamed himself a little too much. He's been avoiding LeBeau and me ever since."

They reached the ladder and climbed up and into the barracks. LeBeau was standing at the stove trying to cook dinner for them. Carter wasn't in the room. Hogan grabbed his cup from the table and poured himself some coffee.

"How's your shoulder?"

"Better than it was." LeBeau said as he cut up some more carrots into the pot.

"Just make sure you take it easy for the next week or two." Hogan said as he walked across the room and into his office, shutting the door behind him. He saw Carter sitting at the table with his back to the door.

"Carter?" Hogan said as he threw his hat onto his bunk and unzipping his jacket. "You alright?"

"It was all my fault." He said not looking at Hogan. He was staring at an old scratch on the table. "I shouldn't have thrown that grenade. LeBeau would never have been shot if I hadn't."

Hogan sighed and pulled up another chair and sat down beside him. He knew what carter was going through because almost the same thing had happened to him not long before he had come to stalag 13. He knew that nothing he could say would make him feel better but he was going to try anyway.

"Carter if you hadn't thrown that when you did. We wouldn't be here talking about it. Mueller was going to shoot us then and there. You did the right thing."

"It was stupid. That's what it was." Carter argued. "I should have known we wouldn't have had a chance. We were outnumbered."

"Listen. I would have done the same thing if it was me. Now come on. LeBeau's has almost finished making dinner and he specifically wants you there this time. You've been avoiding him for no reason." Hogan grabbed him by the arms and pulled him up. They went to join the rest of them as LeBeau was starting dish out the food.

They spent the night playing cards, talking and laughing about the stupid things they did before the war had started. It was one of the best nights they had had in a long while, and when Newkirk returned he brought more good news to the group. The underground had safely get everyone to the sub and they were on their way to England as they spoke. The party was only broken up by Schultz coming in and ordering everyone to bed.

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"Message from London colonel." Kinch handed over a note to Hogan the morning after.

"Good news for a change. _Well done blowing up the factory. 'All escapees safe on board sub arriving tomorrow. Take a few weeks rest, you deserve it. Next contact three weeks from today._' Somehow it's all worth it."

"Well, you heard them. Who wants the first trip into Hammelberge tonight?" Hogan asked the room at large. Every put their hand up and started talking at once. They hadn't had the chance to have a break in a while, so they were all eager to take the first opportunity they could get.


End file.
